kazakhstan has substantial untapped agricultural potential, yet its agricultural sector is underdeveloped and under-financed. the country's capital, astana (previously known as tselinograd), was the epicenter of a major soviet agricultural expansion program—the "virgin lands" program—of the 1950s and 1960s. during this period, tens of thousands of households moved to central kazakhstan to assist in the expansion of agriculture. currently agriculture is the country's major employer. yet it comes in a distant second to the industrial sector in attracting government attention for investment.
kazakhstan has substantial untapped agricultural potential, yet its agricultural sector is underdeveloped and under-financed. the country's capital, astana (previously known as tselinograd), was the epicenter of a major soviet agricultural expansion program—the "virgin lands" program—of the 1950s and 1960s. during this period, tens of thousands of households moved to central kazakhstan to assist in the expansion of agriculture. currently agriculture is the country's major employer. yet it comes in a distant second to the industrial sector in attracting government attention for investment.